In a post on X, Erdogan prayed for Allah’s mercy upon Raisi who died in a helicopter crash.
“I wish Allah’s mercy upon the Iranian foreign minister and other people who lost their lives in the same helicopter as Raisi,” he stated.
He expressed his “deepest condolences” to the Iranian people and government, including the country’s Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, and to the families of the deceased.
“As a counterpart, who personally witnessed his efforts for the peace of the Iranian people and our region during his time in office, I remember Mr. Raisi with respect and gratitude,” Erdogan said.
“As Turkey, we will stand by our neighbor Iran in these difficult and sad times, as we have done many times,” the president added.
After a night-long search operation hampered by bad weather, Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other top officials have been declared dead.
Dozens of emergency rescue teams had been dispatched to the mountainous area in northwestern Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, where the incident took place on Sunday afternoon.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also said on Monday Ankara extended its condolences to Tehran on the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other senior officials in a helicopter crash.
“Unfortunately, the news of the esteemed president and foreign minister’s passing away has saddened us deeply. We do share the deep pain of friendly and brotherly people of Iran,” he continued.
Soon after the crash in northwestern Iran’s East Azerbaijan province on Sunday afternoon, Turkey had mobilized all the possible equipment to assist in search and rescue operations, he added.
Fidan stressed his country wishes “Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives”, and extended condolences to the Iranian people.
